The sanctuary of St Fedelis in Victoria, Kansas is simply amazing. Flanking every image of Christ or altar are saints we can admire for their piety and service to the Lord. Many of them built up devotional techniques, and I am sure one of them will suit your personality, which point you right at the Lord and all the wonderful things only he can provide.
So I hope you enjoy these images from St Fedelis as you head off to church today!
-ehw
On a recent trip I took the time to honor a few family and friends by visiting the National Law Enforcement memorial in Washington D.C. So many names...and unfortunately the number of names added each year accelerated each of the past few years. Let us pray that our collective discourse and conduct begins to rise up and help reduce the names added to this wall in the coming years.
-ehw P.S. This is an example of making the best of lunch hour shooting opportunity. The light was harsh and horrible for color shots, but by carefully watching the strength of the shadows and shade I tried to set the stage for a good black and white so I had something to remember the day.
As we drove across Kansas both east and west I saw beautiful churches rising from the plains. I found myself intrigued, and driving home my daughter gave me a chance to see one of them. When given a choice of Eisenhower's Presidential Library or the "Cathedral of the Plains" she said try this...and we made it a pilgrimage.
This is all you would see from the interstate...
St. Fidelis Catholic Church is one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas. It nickname, Cathedral of the Plains came from William Jennings Bryant after a campaign stop here in 1912. What is really is though is a testimony of the faith and dedication of Volga German immigrants to build a faith inspired community on the harsh landscape of the high plains from the 1880's to the turn of the century. What makes it even more remarkable, is that the current parish continues to care for and restore the church to keep up to the standards of their ancestors.
So come on in, and see the testimony of faith built by farmers at the great personal cost because they believed their house of worship needed to be a grand home that tells their story of faith through form, function, and art. In all ways it is a pleasure in plain sight.
Photographs are a snapshot of our memories...the question is where should they be be? On your smartphone or in print?
I must say prints are the best in terms of long term since they are tangible.
Digital is the best for sharing in the here and now.
Like everything in life you should use the best medium for your purposes!
Here is the joy of a boy with his Grand Dad cruising the lake. I will print it for me...but display it here to share.
I wonder what you may think on the topic!
-ehw
PS A little Fujifilm X-20 shooting away having a lot of fun!
Up in Chicago I spent the last few days working on my portraits and marketing skills. One additional challenge I put before myself was to start asking people to pose for a portrait for me. In each portrait I wanted to try and start capturing a part of my subject's personality....and why they are such special people to God and me!
In the first photo you see my friend Richard. He was my table buddy during the group talks and we shared a few wonderful meals together. He is from Mayberry, NC..the real one. He and his loving wife worked hard for years as a husband/wife team in a two person law firm. Now he and his wife are retired...and he is now adventuring. I hope the photo reflects his wonderful, peaceful, calm and friendly personality. I'll never forget the vegetable rolls he ordered the last night there! Even when surprised he was so calm!
The second photo is Levi Sim; now of Portland, Oregon. I hope you see the energy in those eyes. He is a man of seemingly superman energy. Actually doesn't he look like Clark Kent?...well anyway the energy in those eyes is nourished by a wonderful wife and a little girl they are adopting. I loved seeing him well up over a child he loves so much...made me think of how I felt each of the four times a child entered my life. I hope you can see the joy in his life right there.
The final photo is of my friend Adrian. He and I were table buddies last year at Skip's. We renewed our friendship this week. He is smart, direct, and one of the more encouraging people you'll ever meet. He is a U.S. citizen from Romania ... .and if he does not give you inspiration about taking a risk in a completely new land and starting with nothing no one will. He gave me help last year, and this year in the encouragement realm...thanks buddy.
Now I hope you enjoyed my little set of portraits. A little tip to the People of Calgary blog...he is inspirational at meeting and introducing interesting people up there...and one day I hope to add some more jock stories like this.
-ehw P.S. All with the fujifilm x-e1. Edited in Snapseed while I waited for the airplane ride home.
Isabelle was a superstar for us in our portraiture class yesterday...she sings, dances, entertains and doesn't let happiness leave her heart. Lovely gal.
Well today in Bob Coates fine art class we do discussed finishing effects you can put into photos through applications such as photoshop, On One software and others to add to the artistry of the image. Did not take many photos, but I did learn how much more one can do if you want to take the photo beyond normal and evolve it into a hybrid art form....it was almost overwhelming for a guy like me who doesn't know photoshop at all.
Well I took a few of those techniques and added them to the photo I took of Isabelle yesterday...it is already on her family web page...Dad threw it right up...so I got one happy customer this week!
So thanks Bob for a wonderful eye opening day!
-ehw
Yesterday I had the joy of attending a class in formal portrait photography provided by Michele Celentano. Michele is a wonderful tea her who constantly through us into the fire...with a safety net. It was was wonderful.
The key lessons are simple, but the devil is in the details. Where I'm looking big picture she already was two steps ahead of me going into details. Not just any details but how a hand is laid down on a brother's shoulder, or if the whites of the eyes are too visible....these details are what makes her a master formal portrait artist.
I'd just like to say thank you to her for her dedication to the instruction yesterday. I'll be taking it home and putting it all to work as soon as I can so I don't forget the lessons learned....
More importantly I'll keep some of that passion for the craft she imprinted on me for a long time to come!
Today I am starting a new adventure...I'm blessed to attend a three and half day photo workshop called Skip's Summer School in Chicago, Illinois (well really Oak Brook but we're close enough).
I got here exhausted, the real job kicking me me around a lot...but that is where the story begins.
I'm tired from work, I'm tired from noisy toddler making noises in here sleep down the hall, I'm tired because I'm not efficient enough or focused like I should be, I'm already missing my family and wondering if I am doing them right by being here. I wanted to feel sorry for myself, and I was tempted to say the walk over church would be too long. The Gospel today reminded me that I would be unwise to walk away from such a trivial challenge.
Throughout the bible story God provides opportunities for the vigilant to grow in wisdom and experience if we grasp those intangible moments.
Today's readings reminded us of a number of moments in time where vigilance was rewarded: Passover's short notice to leave our old world behind, Abraham's challenge to leave all behind, Abraham welcoming strangers with kindness...who turn out to be the Lord's messengers, the God fearing men and women who did not know Jesus but followed the wisdom they had, and finally the parable from Christ himself telling us directly that we will never know the hour of our final test of faith.
So instead of thinking woe to me, I must actually be thinking about how do I capitalize on each moment to act out God's wisdom in my thoughts and deeds. That is why I'm happy I did take up the three mile round trip by foot to church. I got this message because I was there to listen to his word and be nourished at his altar.
I'll share you a little secret...it is much easier to do this after a peaceful nap though...
-ehw P.S. the photo is from the entrance to Ascension of The Lord Catholic Church in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois. Lovely lighting in there!
Today will be a full day...so I am happy to share this simple composition of a little flowers shining in morning light....
-ehw
P.S. When shooting flowers outdoors I highly suggest wind breaks and diffusers. One keeps your subject still. The other helps control the highlights by making harsh light bigger.
At the top of the mountain, I captured a wonderful vista with my children descending off the peak. In this seemingly desolate space, just a few feet away was this cluster of small flowers.
Throughout my trip one theme arose before my eyes time and time again, it was the tenacity of life.
On this windswept mountain, these little flowers stubbornly cling to the thin soil in the brief Rocky Mountain summer just a few feet from my position in the first majestic photo. In the plain states it was large trees owning the low ground, avoiding the windy peaks. In the high prairie we saw how grass and cactus eked out survival on little water. In each case life was present and thriving where it was not easy to achieve basic survival. Yet as you can see, the beauty and power of that little life is just as moving as places rich with plants and animals.
Today's Gospel reminded us that life here on Earth is a struggle...and every moment of success we get should be savored...and every hardship we experience should help us revel in the beautiful moments a little more.
-ehw
P.S. Fujiflm X-E1 with 14mm top and Pentax K-5 with 60-250mm below...
Standing at the top of the Alpine Pass in he Rocky Mountain National Park was a thrill. Above the tree line at about 12,000 feet it left your heart racing a little bit when you reached the tip top. It was a wonderful day of learning, travel and family as the big kids and I made the "final" accent.
A rather amazing experience....
-ehw
P.S. First two photos from the Fujifilm X-E1 with the 14mm. The one with the children was done with a in camera photostitch. The snow is from the Pentax K-5 with a long telephoto racked out long to compress the ridge line and increase the drama of the scene.
Back on line...finally!
Our Uverse cable was physically cut at the junction box down the road! Took four days for AT&T to find it. So the sun is up again over the Wojo Clan and it is back to work!
-ehw
P.S. this photo is a reminder to take your gear with you...Grandad took us on an unexpected expedition up the mountain and I did not have my flare resistant primes with me...so the photo was not what it could be...
The Grand Lake Museum is a photographer's delight. I could return there time and time again working new angles on various exhibits. This is really what I love to do with my travel photography, pick up a scene or environment and convey it to the world with an enriching twist. Capturing my children, and in this case their cousin as well, in wonder at grasping these new lessons just is icing on the cake....
The big lesson for the family was that everyone had to be able to do everything...and life was pretty sparse by today's standards for the "rich" townsfolk. The boys learned they had a lot of skills they had to learn as tradesmen in building, repair, hunting, fishing, and finance to keep the family afloat. The girls learned that a family lived and died on their skills managing money, supplies (something as simple as running out of lard or meat in the winter meant death), clothing, and daily management meant a smart and skilled lady was highly sought after!
In the end though, families pulled each other through...they had no government handouts or fire departments to assist them! If they messed up they died in the remote mountain country, unless someone else could assist out of their bounty and charity. What a different world, and one that did make our country great....
The first photo is of the cousins looking at an old stereotype photo viewer...yes they had three dimensional viewing too!
The second caught my eye due to the really cool window light..and then my father-in-law said the towel was like the ones his mom made, so of course I had to capture it for him!
The final photo is a pin cushion upstairs in the sewing room. I loved the color, texture and setting. I could just imagine one of the girls there working hard at mending a borders shirt or making a quilt.
I hope your enjoyed this as much as I did! I'll have more photos later!
-ehw
The final push to our Rocky Mountain campsite took about five hours. The kids were surprised that they got the treat of seeing the Rocky Mountains up close thirty years sooner than their Dad...
They fell into their grandparents arms, Kevin (boy number two at age six) moved out of the trailer immediately to take up residence with his gran parents, and we settled down for a delicious dinner. I was thrilled to simply know I had no driving ahead of me for a few days.
Since this is Sunday I thought I'd share my wife's choice for a vanity plate on the van. It says "You're life has an owners manual" with a picture of the Bible.
-ehw
We stopped after a long drive in Goodland, Kansas for a night on the high prairie. The KOA there is run by a lovely team of husband and wife. Alicia immigrated from Poland about 30 years ago. She was the second person in over forty years to say my name correctly!
The prairie of Kansas is incredible during the summer. It really can call to you...and make you forget about the cold winter ahead if you are not careful. The people are hardworking, the entire state seems cultivated, oil co-exists easily with wheat fields, and everything seems down to earth. In general it seems like a place that really works the land for a living and manages it carefully.
During our stay she was running the camp herself, as her husband was back in the old country attending to the funeral of his loving and kind father. She had here hands full as the park filled up, but she keep a great attitude towards everything, and longed for her husband's return. We were under a storm threat all night long, so the clouds were dramatic, the winds strong, and my worries a little higher than normal.
In the morning the sun rose with lovely color, and I captured the state flower in its glory! I told Alicia I would post that photo for her, as a memory to here kindness and hospitality.
-ehw
P.S. Evening photo with the X-E1, edited in Snapseed. Morning photos same camera but with the 60mm close up lens.
We travelled hard all day and arrived at the KOA in Independence, Missouri...aka the East Kansas City Kampground. It is summertime, so it was of course very hot and muggy! So after setting up shop we launched into the pool to cool off as a family.
I guess for so many of us, our best memories of summertime were around a pool, lake or ocean. We loved the hours we spent in the water, making castles or learning to dive to record depths to recover diving sticks. We cared little about what we looked like, or what others would think. We just lived those golden summer moments for all they were worth, our attitudes matched the wide grins on our faces, and those memories remain strong with us today in a lovely glowing memory.
So my photos from this day were very, very few. They were however designed to capture those golden memories, the magical grins, and fleeting moments of summer past and present. I hope Normal Rockwell would be pleased.
-ehw
All three photos from the Fujifilm X-20. Top photo is the OOC JPEG, no edits. Second had a Vignette added in Snapseed, the last one had a little drama added in Snapseed to bring back the contrast in the fading light.
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Kentucky....driving north from Atlanta we passed right by the first home my wife and I purchased as newlyweds. At mile marker 1 one on northbound I-24 there is a bridge followed by a rest area. I used to run there and use it as my personal mile three marker for my weekend six mile run. I'd look at people pulling in and wonder where they were headed.
On this day a few weeks ago I pulled into the rest area with four children and the same lovely bride 15 years later. Lucky guy I be...lucky guy I be...
The photo of my girl is from the rest stop...photo two is from the KOA in Paducah with my kiddos are at play. Kentucky is a lovely, lovely state. It is one I love to visit just for its sheer beauty.
-ehw
P.S. Here we have one shot with the X-E1 55-200 (the portrait). The other is with the relatively fast focusing X-20 while on a morning walk. Originals are nice, but some tweaking in Nik Snapseed for fun.
Reflections provide great opportunities for photos..and sometimes too many problems to deal with...
In this case I think the effect is right on the borderline. The reflections provided a very interesting vintage effect. You have a magical and timeless feel added to the texture of the photo. Simultaneously I also drew in some distracting elements...like the little door handle. Some people will take that as a "being there effect" while others will become uneasy from the "ghost" image.
Just another tool in your photographic kit bag...use it when it helps and hit delete when it fails to meet your intent!
FYI...Yes another Roswell Main Street photo. Never been in there...I've never run the bar scene..but the image was simply striking and had to be attempted! In a way it was me stepping out of my comfort zone to try something a bit different.
-ehw
On America's birthday I thought a little Red, White and Blue were in order to share....
I hope you enjoy America's birthday tomorrow..and if you get a chance enjoy a few chapters of one of my top five favorite books...The Federalist Papers. The Founders had some pretty good ideas that seem long forgotten at times.
-ehw
PS: Fujifilm X-E1 again from last weekend. This is the RAW processor with just a little highlight recovery. Just love the colors...contrast...and recovery from the shadows.
On Main Street Roswell you can pickup a front row seat here to watch the world go by with a cup of joe...oh that is cappuccino in the fancy neck of the woods. People sitting hear have however also been known to bring up some coffee and a Krispy Creme from down the street though!
Well Monday is here...and I rather be there instead of work. Oh well...got to earn a living!
-ehw
This is another example of post processing done in Capture One. I continue to find the tools are very sophisticated, and attack problems a bit differently than Adobe or Apple's solutions. I'm liking them a lot! Speed is also pretty darn good on my rapidly aging (in computer years) iMac.
